When times get tough, the world has always been able to count on its artists to help shape public discourse. Theater, in particular, has often been used as a platform for social protest. Although America's current political and social strife seems ripe for such treatment, Michigan audiences have experienced little of it in recent years. Until now, that is – and not surprisingly, it's Ann Arbor's young, energetic and idealistic Blackbird Theatre that has stepped up to fill the void.
"In the Heart of America" is the Blackbird's contribution to the national dialogue on war. Initially staged in 1994 following the first Gulf War, Kentucky-born playwright Naomi Wallace examines the consequences of war not only on the soldiers who fight them, but also on the people who live with the catastrophic results. It's a laudable goal; after all, war IS hell! But her message is ultimately hampered by trying to say far too much about too many things – and doing so in a time-jumping, ghost-filled, not-always-logical story that's just too confusing to make complete sense.
"Heart" is primarily the story of two men stationed in Kuwait just before and shortly after the 1991 invasion of Iraq: Craver Perry, a "white, river-trash," bomb-obsessed soldier from Kentucky (played by Matt Pinard), and Georgia-native Remzi Saboura (Ahmed Muslimani), an Arab-American who seems to know he's going to die soon. The two fall in love, but there's no "happily ever after" for the couple: Remzi turns up missing, which prompts his sister, Fairouz (Jenny Tocco), to come searching for answers.
Also looking for someone is the ghost of Lue Ming (Debby Wan), a one-time member of the Viet Cong, who's trying to find "Calley." Instead, she's latches on to Boxler (Oliver Darrow), a hardcore lieutenant who represents the singularly-focused military mentality found in all wars.
In her attempt to prove that war is immoral, Wallace links two worst-case scenarios: Vietnam's My Lai incident and the bombing of innocents in Iraq. Such thinking is specious; bad things happen in all wars, but that doesn't make specific wars wrong. (World War II comes to mind.)
There are other problems with the script, as well. Where are the scenes taking place? (It's not always clear.) And the extremes Wallace uses to include homophobia and racism in the story don't serve it well. (Remzi's "disappearance" is connected to the former, while the experiences and attitudes of the Saboura siblings don't ring true of most American-born adults of immigrant Middle Eastern Americans I've met throughout my life.)
Then – shades of Tennessee Williams – why did the playwright give Fairouz a deformed foot and limp?
Despite the shallow script, Callie McKee has staged a spit-and-polished production. Entrances and exits have military precision; her actors are fully invested in their characters.
Especially notable are Pinard, who keep's Craver's pain and anger bubbling just below his tough exterior until it finally explodes, and Darrow, whose intensity as Boxler is thick enough to repel machine gun bullets.
(FOR "REVIEW BOX")
REVIEW:
'In the Heart of America'
Blackbird Theatre, 1600 Pauline Blvd., Ann Arbor. Fri.-Sun., through April 22. Tickets: $8-$18. For information: 734-332-3848 or http://www.blackbirdtheatre.net
